BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – Two district offices of the Bureau of Internal Revenue were shut down since yesterday, 16 July, after a COVID-positive patient who is a job-order employee of the provincial government checked on his tax identification number.
Norma Bayoneta, who heads Regional District Offices 76 in Victorias City and 77 here confirmed to DNX that the shut down came after it was found out that the Capitol employee went to the Bacolod office morning of yesterday then to the Victorias office in the afternoon.
The employee was checking on his Tax Identification Number as part of the requirements of Capitol.
Bayoneta also confirmed eight employees in both offices had close contact with the patient.
Vice-Mayor El Cid Familiaran, chair of the local inter-agency task force, told DNX the patient’s swab test results came out positive yesterday.
Familiaran did not give additional details.
He was reported to have paid taxes at the BIR office, officially called Revenue District Office 77, in Taculing village here yesterday before the results came out.
Lawyer Rayfrando Diaz, however, said they are not aware about any emoloyee of Capitol who tested positive and who had been payimg taxes at BIR offices.
Vice-Governor Jeffrey Ferrer, however, told DNX one Capitol employee was swabbed for RT-PCR confirmatory test recently.
No additional details were made available.
